Adjustable foot support



Dec. 24,1942. H. STEMMCNS 2,304,384

ADJUSTABLE FOOT SUPPORT Filed NOV. 13, 19 41 a Jnventor Patented Dec. 8,1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE FOOT SUPPORT Clarence H.Stemmons, Kansas City, Mo.

Application November 13, 1941, Serial No. 418,931

2 Claims. (01. 36-71) This invention relates to foot cushioning andadjusting inserts to be fitted in the shoes of those persons needingfoot corrective or cushioning adjustments on account of tenderness, weakarches, pressure, or the like. Usually these devices have comprised slipsoles or sock liners. I have found that such devices do not always soaccurately fit the contour of the shoe as to reliably maintain theirposition against forward slippage, this trouble being particularlyencountered with the type of device which does not extend for the fulllength of the shoe.

In the present invention, therefore, one object is to make the device ofsemi-permanent or permanent nature, when positioned within a shoe, sothat all possibility of slipping from position will be avoided. At thesame time, another object is to provide a construction of the generalcharacter indicated which is so constructed as to provide for access tothe space below the sock liner for the positioning or removal of variousadjusting pads and cushions, so that the structure may be modified inaccordance with the foot condition of each patient, or in accordancewith betterments in the foot of a patient which may be brought to passthrough the gradual reconditioning of the foot.

With the general objects named in view and others as will hereinafterappear, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features ofconstruction and combination of parts as hereinafter described andclaimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is tobe had to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe with the part above the sole,in central longitudinal section, the shoe being depicted with anantislipping member of shorter length than and resting on the sole andconstituting an anchorage for a member of substantially the same sizeand contour, equipped with a metatarsal pad, the last named member beingshown in inoperative position for disclosure of the anti-slippingmember.

Figure 2 is a substantially full-size top plan view of the anti-slippagemember, the instep wing thereof being in fiat position.

Figure 3 is a reduced inverted plan view of the metatarsal pad holdingmember, composed of two layers, the lower layer having parallellongitudinal slits providing an intermediate depressible portion forholding an auxiliary metatarsal pad, when deemed necessary, the twolayers being stitched together, but free of attachment at the wing orinner side, from the front end of the metatarsal member to a pointcorresponding to the front side of the heel portion, the unattachededges providing a pocket for the reception of pads, if desired, betweenthe heel portion and metatarsal pad.

Figure 4 is an upright cross section taken on the line IV-IV of Figure3.

In the said drawing, where like reference characters identifycorresponding parts in all of the figures, I is a base member of sheetmaterial and of contour corresponding generally to the inner face of ashoe sole. This base member is of such material, except when built in asa part of the shoe at the time of manufacture as will, hereinafterappear, as to be thoroughly wettable' by glues, pastes, and adhesives,and it may thereby be permanently or semi-permanently secured inposition to the sole of a shoe. If the base member is actually built inas a part of the shoe then only its upper face is wettable by adhesives.The base member as it is here shown, is in the form of a partial innersole or sock liner, in that it does not cover the full length of thesole of the shoe, but ends just forward of the metatarsal joint.

Hingedly secured at its front edge to the front edge of the base memberI, as by a line of stitching 2, is a flap member which preferablycomprises two separate sheets of similar contour, a top sheet 3 ofmaterial which will not snag or catch on hosiery, and a bottom sheet 4of adhesive wettable material. Positioned between the layers 3 and 4 isa metatarsal pad 5 which is confined by a row of stitching 6 connectingsaid layers or sheets. The two sheets 3 and 4, except along a limitedportion of their edges where the mouth of a pocket 7 is exposed forplacing an arch pad 8, are secured permanently together by a row ofstitching 9. In order to provide means for raising the metatarsal pad toincrease its thickness in such cases as may require this adjustment, thelower layer or sheet 4 has a pair of spaced slits l0 through which a padll of rubber or other suitable material may be thrust for underlying themetatarsal pad 2 as shown.

After the device has been secured within a shoe as explained by gluingthe base I to the sole, the patient will point out the point or pointsof pressure or pain, and the operator proceeds to swing up the top orfiap member 3-4, which, by preference, is provided on the underside ofits heel portion with a rubber or other suitable cushion surface I2. Theoperator can now glue or otherwise secure any pads as may be required tosuit the condition of the patients foot. For example, in theconstruction as shown, the base I carries a more or less extensive heeland arch-wing rubber pad or adjustment I3 for cushioning this part ofthe foot. Also attached to the base I is a wedge heel support cushion Mwhich has a tendency to straighten out the foot as the heel strikes theground to overcome excessive toe-out. By placing a similar pad on theother side of the heel, excessive toe-in may be corrected. The memberi'may also carry pads l5 and [6 for the support respectively, of thecuboid and astragalus portions of the arch.

From the above description and drawing, it will'be evident that I haveproduced a construction embodying all of the features of advantage setforth as desirable, and while I have described and illustrated thepreferred embodiment, it is to be understood that I reserve the right toall changes within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. .In an adjustable foot support, a shoe, a base member of sheetmaterial conforming in contour to the insole of the shoe from the backof the heel to a point forward of the metatarsal bones of a foot adaptedfor fitting in the shoe, a member conforming in size and contour to andresting upon the base member and stitched crosswise of the shoe at itsfront end to the base member, and consisting of two similar sheetsstitched together, the bottom one adapted for adhesion to the basemember, a pad secured permanently to and between the two sheet membersat a point to underlie the metatarsal joint of any foot fitting theshoe, the top sheet of the two sheet member having an instepwing-extension at its inner side and for the length of saidwing-extension, unattached to the bottom sheet to provide a hidden mouththrough which 'cushions may be inserted between or withdrawn from thetwo sheets.

2. In an adjustable foot support for a shoe, a base member of sheetmaterial conforming in contour to the insole of the shoe from the backthereof to a point forward of the metatarsal bones of a foot adapted forfitting in the shoe, a member conforming in size and contour to andresting upon the base member and stitched crosswise of the shoe at itsfront end to the base member, and consisting of two sheets stitchedtogether, the bottom one adapted for adhesion to the base member, a padsecured permanently to and between the two sheet members at a point tounderlie the metatarsal joint of and foot fitting the shoe, the topsheet of the two sheet member having an. instep wing-extension at itsinner side and for the length of said Wing-extension, unattached to thebottom sheet to provide a hidden mouth through which cushions may beinserted between or withdrawn from the two sheets; the said bottom sheethaving a depending loop below the metatarsal pad, and a removable padfor engaging said loop accessible for placement in or removable fromsaid loop through said hidden mouth.

CLARENCE H. STEMMONS.

